Looking Below

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Hawks are 0.5 game ahead of Jersey and Chicago, 1.5 ahead of Indiana, and 2 full games ahead of Charlotte. This is a fight for the 8th seed that probably won't be settled until the last week or so. None of the teams have a legit chance of passing the 6th or 7th seed, Washington and Philly. Washington manages to be decent even without Butler, and with him coming back and Agent Zero itching to launch a few 3's before the playoffs start, they're nestled in at 6th, a couple games behind Toronto. Philly has been the dark horse, with no one predicting them to do any damage yet the quattro of AI2-Andre Miller-Thad-Mo Cheeks is winning games lately like nobody's business. I used to think Mo Cheeks was horrible, but he's definitely showing me up this season. Basically all that was to say that unless we change coaches before this weekend, we're not going any higher than 8th.

Now, to the teams that can take the 8th seed from the Hawks:
New Jersey (0.5GB) - The Brooklyn Nets can't get anything going lately after trading away J-Kidd. VC had a few good games immediately after the trade, but has since gone back to "I'm Vince Carter" mode. Richard Jefferson isn't good enough to carry a team with a crappy supporting cast, and Devin Harris is either still bothered by his injury or hasn't adjusted to the team yet. Even though they are the closest record-wise, the Nets have the least chance of overtaking the Hawks at the rate they're going, which I believe will continue until the end of the season.
Chicago (0.5GB) - Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden can actually make a team better?? Just kidding about Hughes, but Gooden has been playing with a chip on his shoulder (or a mexistache on the back of his head?) and his power hustle play along with a healthy Deng and an occasional hot streak from Ben Gorden is combining for W's. If this bunch of guys can gel, which has already been happening more quickly than expected, and if Kirk Hinrich can wake up, the Bulls can be pretty intimidating. I still can't decide if Scott Skiles made everyone overachieve the past few years or all the players are just severely underachieving this season, but right now they have enough pieces to still make a serious run at 8th.
Indiana (1.5GB) - Sometimes players just need a change of scenery. Mike Dunleavy is tearin' it up this season with a bunch of 30-point games already after having just one in his career before the trade from GS. Danny Granger is still underachieving IMO but is doing enough to win games, and Travis Diener is a half-way decent replacement for the turnover machine (Tinsley) though still not a real NBA PG starter. The white starting line-up that would make Jazz fans jealous of Diener, Dunleavy, Murphy, and Foster (along with a pale Granger) can get it done, and I wouldn't be surprised if they rise a few spots and seriously contend for the last spot.
Charlotte (2GB) - They're the Charlotte Bobcats! Michael Jordan "runs" the team. Yeah, a healthy duo of JRich and GWall (bad nick, whatever) can score with the best of them. But still, as I quote myself from a previous sentence, "They're the Charlotte Bobcats." I hope I don't eat my words in a few weeks...

Anyways, among the 4 teams below us, I think Chicago is our biggest threat followed by Indiana, with the Nets and Bobcats dropping off into tanking mode sometime before April. I hate the Eastern Conference. Among other things (ownership), the Leastern is preventing Woodson's firing. Though I can't complain about the Hawks somehow, somehow, somehow clinging to that 8th and last playoff spot.